Episode 69: The Resplendent Quetzal of Costa Rica

In this episode, we explore one of the most beautiful birds in the world: the Resplendent Quetzal.

In June 2023, I spent a week in Costa Rica, one of the most diverse countries in the world. Although I didn’t plan for it, I ended up seeing a resplendent quetzal, which some say is the most beautiful bird in the world. What happened to me afterwards was profound. Because I felt such a fulfillment, such a filling of the heart, that I almost didn’t go birding afterwards. It was enough to have seen this bird. Even now, I can recall that feeling of bliss, that ananda as we call it in Sanskrit, a kind of rapture that feels complete.

This episode is about the quetzal. Vibrantly coloured, they live in the mountainous, tropical forests of Central America where they eat fruit, insects, lizards, and other small creatures. Even with their famous bright plumage, they can be hard to see in their natural wooded habitats.
Featured image: Aleksander Popovski